Human Beauty: Outward Deception or Inner Reality?
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam
Allah ﷻ says:
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
“Indeed, We have created man in the best form.”
(Surah At-Tin: 4)
Outwardly, man is truly beautiful — skin tone, eyes, hair, face — all resembling a fine sculpture. But if one were to look at the internal system of the human body through a modern microscope or advanced medical imaging, astonishment and even disgust would arise.
Billions of Bacteria in the Body:
The human body contains 39 trillion bacteria. The mouth, intestines, liver, nose, and eyes — all are inhabited by particles of dirt, saliva, blood, fluids, waste, and viruses.
The State of the Stomach:
If one could truly see inside the stomach, one would find gases, odors, digesting substances, and constant motion — all hidden from the naked eye.
Blood Vessels and Waste Disposal:
Every day, millions of dead cells die and are expelled from the body. Without this disposal, a person would be buried in his own waste.
The World of the Brain:
Inside the brain exists a network of neurons, electrical sparks, signals, and chemical activity — if this were seen with the naked eye, the concept of “beauty” would shatter.
Man is unable to see all this because Allah has placed a veil over the physical eye. If we could see reality as it is, arrogance, pride, vanity, sin, and immorality would die away.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا
“Successful indeed is the one who purifies it, and failed is the one who corrupts it.”
(Surah Ash-Shams: 9–10)
The person you praise as a “handsome boy” or “beautiful girl” — if you could see inside their body, you would find:
◈ Foul odor,
◈ Urine, waste, gas, mucus,
◈ Heart disease, liver decay,
◈ And above all — the filth of the soul (nafs).
Yet, we take pride in this perishable body? We commit sins for its adornment? We stare at women? Listen to songs? Watch films? Engage in adultery, lustful glances, and indecency?
O human! If you truly knew what your body is like inside:
➊ You would never be arrogant.
➋ You would never turn to sin.
➌ You would never distance yourself from Allah.
You are not just a face — you are a heart and a soul. As long as the heart is impure and the soul is wounded, you are not truly “beautiful.”
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
“Allah does not look at your forms or your bodies, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”
(Sahih Muslim)
اللّٰهُمَّ طَهِّرْ قُلُوبَنَا وَأَبْصَارَنَا وَأَجْسَادَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ وَخَطِيئَةٍ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
“O Allah! Purify our hearts, our eyes, and our bodies from every sin and fault, and make us among the sincere.”
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam
Introduction
Allah ﷻ says:
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
“Indeed, We have created man in the best form.”
(Surah At-Tin: 4)
Outwardly, man is truly beautiful — skin tone, eyes, hair, face — all resembling a fine sculpture. But if one were to look at the internal system of the human body through a modern microscope or advanced medical imaging, astonishment and even disgust would arise.
Man’s Inner Reality Through the Lens of Science
Billions of Bacteria in the Body:
The human body contains 39 trillion bacteria. The mouth, intestines, liver, nose, and eyes — all are inhabited by particles of dirt, saliva, blood, fluids, waste, and viruses.
The State of the Stomach:
If one could truly see inside the stomach, one would find gases, odors, digesting substances, and constant motion — all hidden from the naked eye.
Blood Vessels and Waste Disposal:
Every day, millions of dead cells die and are expelled from the body. Without this disposal, a person would be buried in his own waste.
The World of the Brain:
Inside the brain exists a network of neurons, electrical sparks, signals, and chemical activity — if this were seen with the naked eye, the concept of “beauty” would shatter.
The Spiritual Perspective
Man is unable to see all this because Allah has placed a veil over the physical eye. If we could see reality as it is, arrogance, pride, vanity, sin, and immorality would die away.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا
“Successful indeed is the one who purifies it, and failed is the one who corrupts it.”
(Surah Ash-Shams: 9–10)
The Hidden Struggle Behind Outward Beauty
The person you praise as a “handsome boy” or “beautiful girl” — if you could see inside their body, you would find:
◈ Foul odor,
◈ Urine, waste, gas, mucus,
◈ Heart disease, liver decay,
◈ And above all — the filth of the soul (nafs).
Yet, we take pride in this perishable body? We commit sins for its adornment? We stare at women? Listen to songs? Watch films? Engage in adultery, lustful glances, and indecency?
The Call of Human Nature
O human! If you truly knew what your body is like inside:
➊ You would never be arrogant.
➋ You would never turn to sin.
➌ You would never distance yourself from Allah.
The Beginning of Transformation – Cleansing Within
You are not just a face — you are a heart and a soul. As long as the heart is impure and the soul is wounded, you are not truly “beautiful.”
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
“Allah does not look at your forms or your bodies, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Concluding Supplication
اللّٰهُمَّ طَهِّرْ قُلُوبَنَا وَأَبْصَارَنَا وَأَجْسَادَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ وَخَطِيئَةٍ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
“O Allah! Purify our hearts, our eyes, and our bodies from every sin and fault, and make us among the sincere.”
